Star Trek: Map's Edge
by DracoWhereArtThou
Summary: The Gamma Quadrant. Here, there be monsters. And the USS Archer, a brand new ship with a brand new crew, is set to face those monsters. Danger lies behind every star and the diverse crew will have to learn to overcome their differences. Please R
1. Ep1: The Eternal Part 1

_Well, hopefully this is a fairly original idea. I always wanted a Star Trek that wasn't a bunch of boring ol' humans with a few mildly interesting aliens sprinkled in. DS9 came close to that, but not close enough for me. So, here we have my story. It's meant to be a spinoff of the Star Trek Fan Seires Star Trek: Hidden Frontier. You won't nessesarily have to have watched the series to understand this fanfic, but I highly reccomend that you check it out as it is one of the best fanfilms I have ever seen. The entire series can be found at hiddenfrontier dot com. _

_I don't own anything except those characters I have made up. _

_Please read and review.  
_

* * *

** Prologue **

**In the year 2378, Starfleet discovered the existence of a group of gigantic stations dubbed Tetrahedrons located in the mysterious Briar Patch. They contained at their cores stable Omega Molecules, giving them enough power to destroy a planet. In 2383, war broke out over control of the Tetrahedrons. On one side, the Tholian Assembly and the Breen Confederacy, led by a powerful man named Siroc. On the other, the Federation, the Klingons, the Romulans, the Cardassians and the Dominion. **

**The war, dubbed later as the Tetrahedron War, raged for over a year, but was finally ended when the enigmatic Grey Confederacy intervened, driving the Tholians and the Breen into surrender and giving Starfleet Officer Captain Tolian Naros the opportunity to stop Siroc once and for all.**

* * *

**Dramatis Personae**

Cpt. Sorgan Ra'Thann  
Species - Andorian  
Captain  
Sorgan Ra'Thann is a highly decorated Starfleet Officer and is considered one of the heroes of the Dominion War. During the Battle of Cardassia, he was aboard the Galaxy Class vessel, the USS _Rowling_ as tactical officer when he was caught by an explosion from his consol. He took the brunt of the blast on his back and was sent to Sickbay. But after he had left, the Bridge was hit by a torpedo and destroyed. Despite his injury, he gathered some crewmen and went to the secondary Battle Bridge where they helped keep the _Rowling_ in the fight and even destroyed a Dominion Heavy Dreadnaught. After the war, he was promoted to First Officer of the _Rowling_ under its new Captain. However, he was forced to again take charge after the Captain was killed during a skirmish in the Tetrahedron War. But despite his best efforts, the Warp Core was breached though he managed to getthe entire remaining crew to escape pods.Now, he has been promoted to Captain and given command of the USS _Archer_.

Cmdr. S'val  
Species - Vulcan  
First Officer  
S'val is a Vulcan from a long line of Starfleet Officers. Her great, great grandmother was Commander T'Pol, who served aboard the _Enterprise _NX-01 under Captain Jonathan Archer. Her father is an Admiral in Starfleet and her mother is the Captain of the USS _Clark_She, for her part, is a very good Officer. She served with distinction as the Chief Engineer aboard the USS _Hood_ for ten years before being promoted to Commander and being offered the First Officer position aboard the USS _Archer._The one thing noted by her superiors is her extremely rigid thinking, even for a Vulcan.

Cmdr. Counselor Jennetha Ajaro  
Species - El-Aurian  
Ship's Counselor  
Jennetha Ajaro has led a rather interesting life. She, like her good friends Guinan and Tolian, was one of those El-Aurians who enjoyed traveling the galaxy, interacting with other species. Her first trip to Earth was during the early 20th Century, around the year 1908. She returned to Earth in the 22nd Century and enlisted in Starfleet. She considered applying to join the crew of the _Enterprise _on its historic mission, but instead opted for a less demanding position in San Francisco. She stayed at this position for many years, witnessing the Xindi incident, the Romulan Wars and the formation of the Federation before returning to El-Auria. Her third trip to Earth was less happy. In 2293, she was aboard the transport ship, _Lakul_, fleeing the Borg destruction of El-Auria when it was caught in the Nexus. She was beamed aboard the _Enterprise B_ along with 47 others before the Nexus tore the Lakul apart. She lived on Earth for the next several decades, rejoining Starfleet and keeping mostly to herself until one day when she encountered a young Xindi Reptilian Starfleet Cadet being bullied by a group of human Cadets. Even after the centuries that had passed since the Xindi had attempted to destroy Earth, there was still some lingering anti-Xindi sentiments. Angered by the bullies behavior, she ordered them off. From that day forward, she was the young Reptilian's friend and she helped him through many more tough times. She is now posted alongside him aboard the USS _Archer. _

Lt. Cmdr. Corey Aster  
Species - Human  
Chief Engineer  
Corey Aster was just a child when his parents were both killed by the Borg at Wolf 359. For most of his childhood, he was raised by relatives, alongside his cousin Jeremy Aster who had been orphaned under different circumstances. When he was old enough, he was accepted at Starfleet Academy. It was during this time that he met and became attracted to his classmate, Ro Nevin, though they wouldn't meet again until years later when Corey was temporarily assigned to the USS _Excelsior_ as a mission specialist thanks to his extensive knowledge of terraforming. He finally admitted his feelings for Nevin during this time, but Nevin left things on uncertain ground. A few months later, he accepted a position on _Excelsior_ as the Assistant Chief Engineer and again Ro refused to make any kind of decision. Frustrated, Corey pursued a relationship with a trill named Jorian Zen whom he stayed in a relationship with for the next four years until Jorian, now a joined Trill, left him for a love from one of the Symbiont's past hosts. Corey, in pain from his loss, lashed out at Nevin who was also recovering from a loss of his own. After an argument, the two parted ways. Though chance...or perhaps fate has put Nevin back in his life as they both serve aboard the USS _Archer._

Lt. Cmdr. Morgim  
Species - Xindi Reptilian  
Chief Tactical Officer  
Morgim gained notoriety by being the first Xindi Reptilian to apply to Starfleet Academy. His acceptance was a controversial subject, as nobody had yet forgotten that it was the Xindi and especially the Reptilians who had attempted to destroy Earth two centuries before. But with the Xindi now a Federation Member Race, he could not be refused entry. For his first three years, he tried his best to ignore the gibes and attacks by his fellow human cadets. It wasn't until his fourth year that it all came to a head. A group of Cadets cornered him one night and would likely have either killed or seriously wounded him, had Commander Ajaro not intervened. After graduation, he joined the crew of the _Enterprise D _as a tactical officer. He stayed there for seven years until the _Enterprise_ was destroyed on Veridian 3. After that, he joined the crew of the USS _Farragut _until he was offered a position on board the _Enterprise E_. He stayed on board the _Enterprise_ until 2384 when he was offered a position aboard the USS _Archer_ as Chief Tactical Officer. He now serves there alongside his old friend, Ajaro.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Seven of Nine  
Species - Human/Borg  
Chief Science Officer  
Even before the incident at system J-25, Starfleet knew something of the Borg thanks to an encounter by the _Enterprise _NX-01 and later, interviews with El-Aurian refugees. So, they commissioned several independent scientists to attempt to find the Borg. Two of these were Erin and Magnus Hansen. Given a small science vessel, the USS _Raven_, they brought along their daughter, Annika, and left to obsessively pursue rumors of the Borg, even ignoring a direct command from Starfleetto return. Eventually, their efforts paid off and they found a Borg Cube. They followed the Cube through a Transwarp Conduit which led them all the way to the Delta Quadrant. It was here that they slipped up and were noticed as a threat by the Borg. All three Hansens were assimilated and Annika became known as Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01. She spent the next twenty years of her life as a drone until 2374 when she was selected to act as a link between the Borg and the crew of the USS _Voyager_ with whom they had formed a temporary alliance to battle Species 8472After her Cube was destroyed, Seven beamed over to _Voyager_ along with a handful of Drones. She attempted to assimilate _Voyager_ in order to gain the knowledge of how to defeat Species 8472, but Cmdr. Chakotay decompressed the cargo bay she and the Drones were occupying. Seven was the only one to survive.After this, she was separated from the Collectiveand, despite some setbacks, she joined the _Voyager_ crew.For the next four years,Seven stayed aboard _Voyager_ as they journeyed back to the Alpha Quadrant, providing them with many advancements, including the Astrometrics Lab which would become a standard facility on Starfleet vessels after Voyager's return. She briefly entered into a relationship with Cmdr. Chakotay, but broke it off after _Voyager_ returned home. For several years, she worked with Starfleet's anti-Borg "think-tank" on Deep Space 7, even taking an enlisted rank until recently when she was offered the position of Chief Science Officer aboard the USS _Archer._

Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Genevieve Lusignon  
Species - Human  
Chief Medical Officer  
Geneveve Lusignon was born on Earth in the city of Paris, France. Her father was the governor of Paris and her mother was a very accomplished musician. Her three brothers and two sisters all pursued careers in art or politics, but she had always felt compelled to answer a higher calling. So, she joined Starfleet Academy in the Medical Corps. Her parents were somewhat dismayed at her decision and tried often to dissuade her, but she held fast to her beliefs. She graduated the Academy at the top of her class and was the top pick for CMO aboard several Starships. However, in the end, she took a position at Starfleet Medical and stayed there for several years until her friend and colleague, Dr. Katherine Pulaski, encouraged her to join the crew of a Starship, at least for a little while. So, she joined the crew of the USS _Hood_, though not as the CMO. She saw the _Hood_ all the way through the Dominion War and into the Tetrahedron War before finally acquiescing to an offer of CMO aboard the USS _Archer._

Lt. Ro Nevin  
Species - Bajoran  
Science Officer  
Nevin was born to Ro Gale and Ro Talia during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. He was only a small child, living in a refugee cap with his sister when one day, a Cardassian gave both of them pieces of sugar candy and led them to a room where they were forced to sit and watch as their father was tortured to death. Laren felt ashamed to be a Bajoran after this incident and soon ran away. Nevin was old enough to feel betrayed by this and he spent most of his childhood never seeing his sister. After the Occupation ended, he saw her sporadically on her infrequent visits back to Bajor. She had joined Starfleet Academy and had graduated and joined the crew of the USS _Wellington._ However, after her Court Marshall and subsequent imprisonment, Nevin began to feel truly ashamed of his sister and decided to join Starfleet himself to redeem his family's name. Laren's defection to the Maquis further pushed him to succeed and it was only with the help of his friend and fellow Cadet Andrew Barrett that he came to realize how important Laren was to him, despite her flaws. He met Corey Aster during this time, but was confused by his feelings for him. He graduated with flying colors in the Science Department and was assigned to the USS _Excelsior_. Here he stayed, earning distinction for his ground-breaking study of the Grey and their technology and even being promoted to Chief Science Officer. For the next few years, he and Corey danced around the issue of their feelings for each other. In the meantime, he dated a fellow Bajoran girl named Tara Abis, though this was short-lived and soon after, he became involved with a young Klingon man named Nej'ta. Tragedy struck when Nej'ta was killed in a terrorist strike on Deep Space 12. Nevin, already grief-stricken ,was further hurt when Corey began lashing out at him after his break up with Jorian Zen. Nevin cut all ties with Corey and left _Excelsior_ the first offer he got. However, this offer, the USS _Archer_ just happens to be the same ship Corey accepted a position on board...

Ens. Icheb  
Species - Brunali  
Science Officer/Helmsman  
Icheb was a young Brunali male who was one of five immature Borg drones released not fully assimilated from the Borg maturation chamber after a virus killed all adult drones aboard the Cube they were serving on in 2376. He was given the designation of "Second", as he could not control the other drones, even though he was the eldest among them. After a failed attempt to capture the USS _Voyager_, the adolescent drones were adopted by the crew of _Voyager_. The Doctor was able to remove most of their implants, and the crew searched for their home planets, with the hope of returning them to their respective families. Seven of Nine took it upon herself to tutor Icheb and the others, to help them re-adjust to life outside the Collective. Seven took charge of the children, but Icheb and the others became rowdy and hard to control. Seven's regimented control made them feel like they were still on a Borg ship. Once she treated the children as individuals, they became manageable. Icheb was especially intelligent and innovative, yet very reserved. He had hoped to work alongside Seven of Nine in astrometrics. However, when his parents were located, he was returned to them. He tried to adjust to his new life, but after Voyager left, he learned that he was deliberately sent to be assimilated by his family, with the hopes that a pathogen he was carrying would destroy the Borg as it did the Cube that Icheb was aboard. Fortunately, the _Voyager _crew rescued Icheb from re-assimilation, and he rejoined the ship on its journey. After returning to Earth, Icheb was accepted at Starfleet Academy and graduated at an accelerated rate, finishing in three years as opposed to four. He was posted aboard the USS _Rhode Island_ with his _Voyager_ colleague, Lt. Harry Kim. He stayed aboard the _Rhode Island_ until he was offered a position aboard the _Archer_ after the Tetrahedron War. Because a portion of his life was spent as a Borg Drone, Icheb is still regaining his individuality and discovering exactly who he is.

* * *

**_USS _Archer_, docked at Deep Space 9_**

_Captain's Log Stardate 60345.2; Captain Sorgan Ra'Thann recording. It seems at last that the Alpha and Beta quadrants can finally breathe easier. The Tetrahedron War is over and although victory came at a high price to all involved, relations between the Federation and its allies have never been higher. _

_So now, Starfleet finally feels ready to return to that purpose for which it was created; exploration. To that end, I have taken the U.S.S. _Archer _as my first command. Though she is an untested ship with an untested crew, I'm sure that both will perform admirably. Starfleet Command has assigned the Archer to an extended deep space away mission to the largely unexplored Gamma Quadrant-_

The door to the ready-room chimed, interrupting Ra'Thann's log recording. He sighed and his antennae twitched in annoyance. _Always when I'm in the middle of something._ "Computer, pause log entry. Come." he said.

The doors opened and in stepped a young Vulcan woman.

"Ah, Commander. Please, come in."

"First Officer, Commander S'Val reporting for duty, Captain." she said in the standard Vulcan monotone.

"At ease, S'Val. And, please, call me Sorgan."

S'Val went to 'at ease' stance, but said, "With all due respect, Captain, I do not believe that it would be appropriate for me to refer to you by your first name. You are my commanding officer, and I should treat you as such."

Ra'Thann sighed inwardly. He was going to have to get used to this. As a rule, Andorians were a very emotional people Some even rivaled Klingons and Orions for sheer temper. Fortunately, Ra'Thann was not one of those, but still, this Vulcan was almost his polar opposite. But S'Val had come highly recommended by Captain DeSoto, after she had been promoted from Chief Engineer aboard the USS _Hood_.

Aloud, he said, "As you wish, Commander. Have a seat. I was hoping we could discuss all those wonderful minor details which come with commanding a Starship."

S'val stiffened slightly. Not a good sign. "Such as, sir?" she asked.

"Well," Ra'Thann said, "I saw that you had implemented a four shift rotation. While this is the best for a ship in a combat situation, I believe that a mission of exploration would better function with a three shift rotation."

S'Val raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips slightly. "As you wish, Captain."

"Speak freely if you have something on your mind, Commander."

S'Val looked at him for a moment, but then said, "Very well. Sir, again, with all due respect, duty shifts are part of my job. While I will follow your directives without question, I do not believe that you should undermine my authority with the crew. When I take courses of action, it is because of what I believe to be most logical."

Ra'Thann smiled slightly. He knew logic would come in to play sooner or later. "I do understand, Commander." he said. "And I won't undermine your authority. But one of your other duties as First Officer is to connect with the crew and to help keep morale up. Like for example, a four shift rotation may be more logical, but with a three shift rotation, the crew will get more down time, thus improving morale."

S'Val nodded. "As I said, Captain, I will follow your directives without question."

"And there's another thing I'd like to address." said Ra'Thann. "I don't want that. At times, a Captain's orders need to be questioned. As First Officer, you have to keep my course steady. So if my actions seem illogical, or downright stupid, please never hesitate to say something."

S'Val raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Yes sir. Was there anything else?"

Ra'Thann thumbed through the padd. "No. I think that's it. You are dismissed."

S'val stood, spun on her heel and left the room. Ra'Thann sighed and closed his eyes. After a moment, he turned towards the replicator. "Raktajino with a shot of espresso." This was going to be a _major_ challenge. But, then again, the best things often were. "Computer, Resume Log Entry."

* * *

Lt. Ro Nevin stood at the viewport, looking out at the _Archer_, as if transfixed by the vessel. With his eyes, he traced every one of her elegant lines. Although everyone said so about Federation vessels, this one in particular seemed like a work of art. It was the first of the brand new _Archer_ Class vessels which, along with the _Luna_ Class was designed to get Starfleet back to its roots of exploration. Even her name was beautiful to Nevin; _Archer_. It was, obviously, named after Jonathan Archer, one of the Federation's first explorers, and whose name was as well-known as names like Zephram Cochrane and James T. Kirk. He also happened to be one of Nevin's personal heroes. Suddenly, the vessel was outlined by a halo of blue and white as the Celestial Temple, also known as the Bajoran Wormhole, yawned open in the background and then shut with a flash. Nevin smiled and sighed. 

"You know, I don't recall you ever looking at _Excelsior_ like that."

He turned at the sound of the female voice. He smiled at Captain Elizabeth Shelby, with whom he had served for eight years. "Sorry, Captain. It's just that I'd seen _Galaxy _Class ships before. This is the first time I've seen an _Archer_ class up close."

Shelby nodded. "I understand what you mean. She is beautiful. But then again, she's taking two of my best officers away from me. I can't be too enamored of her."

Nevin's smile faded slightly. At the time that he had taken the assignment on board the _Archer_, he hadn't been aware that Corey Aster had also taken a position as the Chief Engineer. He, meanwhile, had taken a position as a Science Officer, though not the Chief. And on that subject...

"So I heard that you turned down the CSO position." Shelby said. "Mind if I ask why?"

Nevin shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I've had enough of being a Senior Officer for a while. I'm not sure I was ready for it, even when I was on _Excelsior._"

Shelby sighed and the look she gave him made him bow his head in shame. He should have known he wouldn't be able to hide anything from the woman. What he had said was partially the truth. But the bigger reason was that the Chief Science Officer was more likely to have to work in close proximity to the Chief Engineer than a Junior Officer would. "Nevin, I understand that things between you and Lt. Commander Aster are tough, but don't let it make you sell yourself short. After all, I wasn't just flattering you when I called you one of my best officers."

Nevin nodded. "Thank you, Captain. And...Goodbye."

Shelby held out her hand and he took it. "Goodbye, Nevin. And good luck."

* * *

"Be sure you replace those Gelpacks. And don't forget to purge the EPS Conduits on Deck Seven." Ordered Lt. Commander Corey Aster. 

"Yes sir." replied the Engineer.

Behind him, someone cleared her throat loudly. He smiled, as he turned knowing who he would find. "Alright, Commander Lefler." he said. "I'm leaving. I just wanted things to be in order before you took over again."

Lefler smirked at him. "Sure you did. Lefler's Law number 101; Never put off the inevitable."

Aster groaned inwardly. He knew something like this was coming. It was common knowledge that neither he nor Lt. Nevin were exactly thrilled that they had ended up on the same ship again.

"I know." he said. "I just..."

"Uh uh." said Lefler. "No 'I just's.' Lefler's Law number 23; Never look back. The obstacles are all ahead. The sooner you get comfortable with the way things are with Nevin, the sooner you can forge ahead. Besides, a little birdie told me that Nevin turned down the Chief position. You won't be having to work with him that often."

Corey was shocked at the revelation. Nevin had turned down the Chief position? Was it because of him? _Or are you just being self-centered?_ a small voice at the back of his head asked him.

"Hey, _Excelsior_ to Aster. You with us?" asked Lefler.

Corey shook his head. "Sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"I know you do. But you better get going. The _Archer's_ engines are calling to you. But be sure you drop me a transmission once in a while. I'll hunt you down if you don't."

Corey's face broke again into a smile. "Lefler's Law number 123;" he quoted in a good imitation of her voice. "A couple of light years can't keep good friends apart."

Lefler laughed. "They always pull that one out on me. Now scoot. You're going to miss your own launch."

With a last wave at Lefler, and one last look at the Excelsior's engine room, Corey left.

* * *

The doors to the Astrometrics Lab hissed open, causing the Science Officer to look up from her work. A young Bajoran male had just entered and was looking around. _Bajoran. Species 5426. Their Biological and Technological distinctiveness-_ _Stop it. _Seven of Nine ordered herself. _You are not a drone any longer. _Even after all these years being separated from the Collective, she still found herself sinking occasionally into their methods of thinking and categorizing. 

"Lt. Ro." she called out. He jumped at her sharp tone of voice and walked over to her. "I am Senior Chief Petty Officer Seven of Nine. I am the Chief Science Officer aboard this vessel."

"Oh, it's nice to meet-"

"Your shift began eight minutes and thirty-two seconds ago, Lieutenant." she said, interrupting him. "I will expect you to be punctual from this day forward."

"Y-yes, ma'am." he said.

Seven nodded and handed him a padd. "The current cataloguing system is inefficient. Here are instructions on how I would like the system to be cataloged."

Ro's heart sank as he read the padd. This was the kind of busy work _he_ would have relegated to a Junior Officer aboard the _Excelsior_. _Better get used to it._ he thought. "Yes ma'am." he said glumly.

"_Chief Seven of Nine, please report to the Bridge." _said a voice over the comm.

"On my way." said Seven. "Carry on, Lieutenant."

"First day on the job and already my Department Head hates me." muttered Nevin.

"Don't worry." said a voice, from across the lab. Ro saw a young man walking towards him. "I know Seven can be intimidating, but that's how she is to everyone."

Nevin's tongue seemed to have swelled in his throat and butterflies filled his stomach. _What's wrong_ _with you, Nevin? _He asked himself. _It's just a cute guy. You saw plenty of them on_ Excelsior.

The young man stuck out his hand and for the first time, Nevin noticed the few metal implants he had. "My designation is Ensign Icheb. You are Lt. Ro, correct?"

_He knows my name! Shut up. He just heard Seven say it._

"Uh...Yeah, that's me." _Smooth line there, Nevin. I'm sweating! By the Prophets this is embarrassing... _

Icheb furrowed his brow. "Are you unwell, Lieutenant?"

Nevin nearly fainted. _He knows! Okay, just play it cool._ "Uh...Yeah, I'm fine. Just getting used to things." _Change the subject, idiot!_ "So, you were on _Voyager_, right?"

Icheb smiled. "Yes. They rescued me from the Borg and brought me back here with them."

Nevin nodded. Of course he knew that. Anyone who watched the news knew about Icheb and Seven. After all, they were the first Drones to be rescued from the Collective since Captain Picard had been turned into Locutus.

An uncomfortable silence fell and after a moment, Nevin said, "Well...It was nice to meet you, but I better get back to work."

"Lt. Ro-"

"Yes!" he said a little to enthusiastically.

"I was wondering if you would like to join me in the Mess Hall after our shift ends. I have not had a chance to make many friends aboard this vessel and I thought perhaps we could get to know one another."

Nevin's heart flew into his throat. _He's asking me out! Calm down. He said 'friends.'_ "Uh...sure. Sure, I'd love to."

* * *

A slight woman, looking almost indistinguishable from a human, nudged the controls of her shuttle a little closer towards the _Archer_. Her smile widened as she examined the ship. The Holos hadn't done it justice. It was by far the most beautiful ship she had ever seen. And after nearly 700 years of life, Jennatha Ajaro had seen ships from all over the galaxy. She was, of course, one of the extremely long-lived El-Aurian race. She was also currently the Counselor aboard the _Archer_. 

A rumbling growl next to her drew a smile to her lips. Sitting in the co-pilot's seat with his arms resolutely crossed and a scowl on his face was a burly Xindi Reptilian. "Alright, Jenn. You've seen the ship. Can we please board it now?" he asked.

"Patience, Morgim." Ajaro said teasingly.

"Patience is for the dead." he snapped automatically.

One observing them might think that Morgim was truly irritated with Ajaro. But in reality, they were the best of friends and they had seen each other through many dangers. Well...He hadn't seen her through _quite_ as many dangers as she had him, but no matter.

"Alright, you win." she said. She glanced back at the rear of the Shuttle where a rather green-looking woman sat. "You alright back there?" Ajaro asked.

The woman shook her head. "Please do not ask me questions right now." said Dr. Genevieve Lusignon. "I feel I am going to be ill."

Ajaro laughed. "You don't like Transporters and shuttles make you seasick. How exactly have you survived Starship life this long?"

"By staying on the ship as much as possible." the Doctor replied.

Ajaro laughed again and swung the shuttle around the_ Archer's_ Stardrive Section and into the secondary Shuttle Bay.

* * *

Captain Ra'Thann stepped out of his ready room and glanced around the bridge, smiling. Everyone was at their appointed station, looking as fine as and crew he had ever served with. To the right of the Captain's chair sat Cmdr. S'val. To the left, Counselor Ajaro. Seven of Nine occupied the Science Station while Lt. Cmdr. Morgim stood behind him at the Tactical Station. He knew that elsewhere in the ship, Dr. Lusignon would be getting sickbay organized the way she liked it and down in Engineering, Lt. Cmdr. Aster would be warming the engines for their journey. 

"Ops," he called, taking his seat at the center of the bridge. "Open a channel to DS9."

"Channel open, sir." reported the Ensign.

"_Archer_ to Deep Space Nine. Permission to disembark?"

"Granted, _Archer._" said the voice of Kira Nerys. "Try not to get into _too_ much trouble out there in the Gamma Quadrant." she added teasingly.

Ra'Thann chuckled. "Acknowledged, Colonel. _Archer_ out." He tapped the intership comm system, so that the whole crew could hear him. "All hands, this is the Captain. We are preparing to get underway. But before we do, I would like to share something. Jonathan Archer, the man our fine ship is name for, once said, 'We are all explorers driven to know what's over the horizon, what's beyond our own shores. And yet the more I've experienced, the more I've learned that no matter how far we travel or how fast we get there, the most profound discoveries are not necessarily beyond that next star. They're within us, woven into the threads that bind us. All of us, to each other. The final frontier begins in this hall. Let's explore it together.' I don't want any of us to forget these words as we live up to the Starfleet credo; 'To boldly go where no one has gone before.' Commander, if you would, take us out."

"Helm," said S'Val crisply, "prepare to disengage at one-quarter impulse. Set your course for the Wormhole. Full impulse once we clear the station."

"Aye, sir." the Helmsman replied.

"Time to see what's out there." whispered Ra'Thann.


	2. Ep1: The Eternal Part 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek. All I own are my original characters._

_Please Read and Review, even if you have a criticism._

* * *

_Captain's Log, Supplemental; The _Archer_ has arrived on the other side of the Wormhole and we are en route to an uncharted star system. So far, there have been no problems, and I don't expect that there will be. Although if my career in Starfleet has taught me anything, it is that the unexpected is more often than not what you end up with.

* * *

_

Corey walked into the Mess Hall, still looking at a padd and shaking his head. These Junior Officers they had working down in Engineering were nothing as fine as his crew aboard the _Excelsior._ Communication was almost nonexistent and he was left wondering if Ensign Shultz had truly studied Engineering at the Academy.

"Uh oh." said Counselor Ajaro, sitting at the bar. "Looks like someone doesn't know the meaning of 'off duty.'"

Corey glanced up at her and smiled. "For Senior Officers, there's no such thing as 'off duty.'"

"He's right." grunted Morgim. "We must always be alert and ready."

Ajaro sighed. "You two are hopeless. Lt. Commander...Aster, I believe it was?"

Corey nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Well, Mr. Aster,"said Ajaro, "I am Counselor Ajaro. This is Lt. Commander Morgim, Chief Tactical Officer. And as Ship's Counselor, I hereby order you to drop that padd and to come have a drink."

Corey sighed, but smiled. "Understood, ma'am."

"So you set out corrupting another promising young officer." said Morgim. "Do you always get your way?"

Ajaro thought for a moment. "Not always...but frequently."

"...so Andy and I had to, down on our knees, tell these two burly Nausicansthat Starfleet was dung on their shoes."

Corey's head whipped around as he heard an all-too familiar voice. Sure enough, at a table not far away, sat Lt. Ro with Ensign Icheb. Nevin glanced at him and he quickly looked down at this drink. "Oh god, it starts." Corey muttered.

"What starts?" Ajaro asked curiously.

Corey just shook his head and comtinued staring at his drink.

Ajaro looked at Nevin and then back at Corey. Immediately, a small smile began tugging at her lips. "Are you, by chance, familiar with that rather handsome young Lieutenant?" she asked.

Corey's mouth worked wordlessly for a few moments before he downed his drink and admitted, "We've...met."

Ajaro sighed. "Barkeep, another round for my friend here. Why don't you start from the beginning?"

* * *

"I am surprised that you complied with the Nausican's demands." said Icheb.

Nevin shrugged. "Well we didn't have much choice, unless we wanted to spend the next week in Sickbay. But we got them back."

"How?" Icheb asked.

Nevin broke into a wide grin. "We found their ship and beamed a few Tribbles into their Cargo Hold."

Nevin was supremely glad that he was growing more comfortable around Icheb. Those first few minutes of meeting him had been almost disastrous. And speaking of disaster, Nevin glanced at the bar just as Corey hastily looked away. _Just ignore him._ Nevin told himself and focused his attention back on Icheb.

* * *

"So, the long and short of it is, he most likely never wants to see me again." Corey said, polishing off a third synthale.

"Well have you tried simply apologizing?" Ajaro asked.

Corey shook his head. "No. But I don't think it would make any difference. I said some really hurtful things to him. I just wish I could go back and undo it all."

Morgim shook his head. "I will never understand the concept you pink-skins seem to have of 'relationships.' On my world, mating is for the sake of populating the species. That is all."

"You're telling me that the idea of a life partner is completely foreign to Reptilians?" Ajaro demanded.

"Of course not!" said Morgim. "When we mate, we mate for life. But there is none of this talk of...feelings."

Corey grunted. "Maybe it's better that way."

"_All Senior Staff, report to the Bridge." _said Commander S'Val's voice over the comm.

Corey sighed. "Told you Senior Officers are never off duty."

* * *

"We are entering high orbit of the planet, Captain." reported the Helmsman.

The Captain nodded. "Seven, what are we looking at down on the planet?"

"It is Class M, Captain." Seven reported from the Science Station. "No sentient lifesigns, although Sensors are detecting signs that an advanced society may have inhabited the planet at one time."

"I wonder what happened to them." Counselor Ajaro said.

"Most likely the Dominion wiped them out." Corey said from the Engineering Station at the back of the bridge.

"Carefully, Commander." Dr. Lusignon said, standing next to the Tactical Station. "Do not forget, the Dominion are our allies now."

All of a sudden, the Ops station began beeping. "Captain," reported the Ops Officer, "We are being hailed."

Ra'Thann narrowed his eyes. "By who?"

"Unknown, sir. I can't pinpoint the location, but it is definitely coming from somewhere within ten kilometers off our forward bow." the Officer reported.

"Mr. Morgim, are you detecting any signs of a cloaked vessel?" S'Val asked.

"Negative, Commander." Morgim reported. "No tachyon emissions, no engine trail, nothing."

Ra'Thann stood and pulled down the front of his tunic. "Very well, then. Put whoever it is on screen." The Captain waited to see what image popped up, but after a few moments, nothing appeared. "What's the holdup, Ensign?" he asked.

"I...I don't know, sir." the Ops officer said. "I opened the channel, but there was no message."

Suddenly, the lights dimmed and went red and klaxons began blaring all across the bridge.

"Report!" Ra'Thann shouted.

"Sensors registering impacts all over the ship, Captain!" Morgim said.

"Impacts?" Corey repeated incredulously. "Then why haven't we felt anything?"

"Damage?" Ra'Thann asked.

"Reports from all sections coming in now, sir." Ops reported. "Sir...All sections report situation normal."

"Confirmed, sir." said Corey. "There isn't even a scratch on our paint."

Ra'Thann rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Computer, cancel Red Alert. Mr. Aster, Run a level one diagnostic on the sensors and the communications array."

"It won't make any difference!" said a cheerful voice. Suddenly, particles of green light began appearing all across the bridge. They bounced across consoles and stations, gradually migrating to the center of the bridge.

"What the hell-" Ra'Thann began to say, but then with a bright flash, the particles all came together and formed into a humanoid shape. It appeared to be a child with pale skin and wild black hair, dressed entirely in leaves. Its eyes were entirely black. "Tada!" it said.

Morgim drew his phaser and tapped his comm badge. "Intruder alert! Security team to the bridge!"

The child glanced at him and smiled, revealing slightly pointed teeth. With a flash, the phaser turned into a handful of wildflowers.

Ra'Thann stood slowly. "You're a Q, aren't you?" he demanded.

The child stuck out its tongue and blew a loud raspberry. "Q? Q rhymes with 'spew.' My name doesn't rhyme with 'spew,' so it must not be Q."

"Well if you are not a Q, then who and what are you?" asked S'Val, clearly irritated with the being's childish behavior.

The child jumped up from its spot, flipped over Ra'Thann's head and landed in the Captain's chair. "I'm a lot of things for a lot of different occasions. But today, I am youth and I am joy. But no matter what form I take, you can call me Aeternus. As for what I want with you, I want to play a game."

Ra'Thann stared at him. "A game?"

Aeternus nodded. "Yup. A puzzle game. You've got 24 hours to solve my puzzle. I gave you the first three pieces a little bit ago. You've gotta find the rest."

"And what happens if we don't solve this 'puzzle' within three days?" asked Seven, seeming about as amused as S'Val.

Aeternus grinned. "I make _you_ into one of my puzzles. Have fun!" With a final flash, it vanished.

* * *

"Alright, people." said Ra'Thann as the Senior Staff sat gathered in the conference room. "We need to brainstorm. I don't know what he meant by making us into one of his puzzles, but I don't imagine it can be good for us. What are our clues?"

"They can only be the phantom transmission and the collision alert." said Corey.

"Aeternus said there were three clues." reminded Ajaro.

"I believe I may have the third." said Dr. Lusignon. "At the same time as the collision alarms went off, twenty crewmen in various parts of the ship reported feelings of nausea and disorientation."

"With no discernable cause, I presume." said Ra'Thann.

"None that we can detect. Physically, all twenty are perfectly healthy. Shall I keep them in Sickbay?"

Ra'Thann shook his head. "No. I see no reason to confine twenty perfectly able Crewmen. But I want and further reports of those symptoms forwarded immediately to me. For now, let's analyze the other clues. Suggestions?"

"Is it possible that there is an interphase cloaked vessel orbiting the planet?" asked Morgim.

"A ship that's out of phase wouldn't be able to hail us and it certainly wouldn't set off our collision alarms." said Corey. "Nevertheless, it's the best theory we've got."

Ra'Thann nodded. "Very well. Mr. Aster, join Seven in the Astrometrics Lab. I want you to look up every piece of information we have on Interphase. I also want you to analyze the exact points of "impact" registered by the ship. We've only got 24 hours to solve this little puzzle, people. Dismissed."

* * *

Nevin stepped into the Astrometrics Lab and immediately ground to a halt. "Cor-Er-I mean Commander Aster, what...uh are you doing here?"

Corey sighed. "The Captain ordered me to work with Science on figuring out Aeternus' puzzle."

"Great." Nevin muttered.

At that moment, Seven and Icheb strode in. "Lt. Ro," Seven began immediately, "you will work with Commander Aster on analyzing the perceived hull impacts. Ensign Icheb and I will go over the data on Interphase."

"With all due respect, Ma.am," said Nevin, shouldn't I be the one to go over the data?"

Seven pursed her lips. "Lieutenant, Icheb and I are able to assimilate and analyze data at a faster rate than you. Do you have a problem working with Commander Aster?"

Nevin opened his mouth, but then shut it again. "No ma'am." he muttered.

Seven nodded. "Very well. Get to work."

Icheb gave Aster a curious look before turning away to help Seven.

Without a spare word, Corey brought up an image of the _Archer_ on the main viewer. Highlighted across its forward hull were various red dots. "Here are the exact locations of each registered impact." He typed in another command and the ship rotated. On the rear hull were now as many yellow dots. "These are separate impacts registered by sensors a fraction of a second after the initial ones."

"Exit wounds." mused Nevin.

"What's an...'exit wound?'" asked Corey.

"Well," said Nevin, "as you probably know, in most societies, projectile weapons predated energy weapons. Well, sometimes, when a person was shot, the projectile passed straight through the body and emerged from the other side. On both Earth and Bajor, this was called an exit wound."

Corey scratched his chin thoughtfully. "So you're suggesting that whatever the sensors registered as hitting us passed straight through us and came out the other side?"

"Exactly!" said Nevin.

"So we have something to work with." said Corey. "But what about the...Wait a second!" He tapped his commbadge. "Aster to Sickbay."

"_Lusignon here."_

"Doctor, could you transmit the locations of all those affected by the nausea at the time when it happened to Astrometrics?"

"_Give me just a moment, Commander...There. You should have it."_

Aster checked his consol. "Got it. Thanks, Doctor."

He worked for a few moments, typing commands into his consol. A moment later, blue dots appeared within the model of the ship.

"There. As I thought."

"What?" Nevin asked.

"Well, the blue dots represent the exact location of each of the afflicted crewmen at the time of the impacts."

Nevin smiled. "Of course! They're all lined up between the impacts and the exit wounds!"

"You have something?" asked Seven, walking over to them with Icheb.

"Yes." said Aster, quickly explaining their findings.

"Fascinating." said Seven. "We have completed our assimilation of the data. We have discovered several notable instances involving interphasing. The first occurred on Stardate 45892.4 when Lt. Commander Geordi LaForge and Ensign Ro Laren were taken out of phase by an accident aboard a Romulan vessel."

"Laren told me about that." said Nevin. "But she didn't mention anything about nausea."

"Another occurred on Stardate 47457.1" continued Seven, "when the USS _Enterprise_ recovered an interphasic device from the USS _Pegasus_."

"But again, no mentions of nausea." said Corey.

"_Voyager_ encountered interphasic technology on two occasions." said Icheb. "First, when the Srivani conducted medical experiments on the crew, they used interphase cloaking to move about the ship. Second was when-"

"Wait a minute," said Corey, "Back to the first one. With the Srivani conducting medical experiments on _Voyager's_ crew, there must have been a lot of reports filed by the Doctor. Can we access those?"

"Perhaps." said Seven. "Computer, access Starfleet Medical Records, USS _Voyager_, Stardate 51244.3."

"_162 entries found."_ reported the Computer.

"Computer," said Nevin, "Filter out all entries not containing complaints of nausea or disorientation."

"_Processing...142 entries found."_

"Now we're getting somewhere!" said Corey. He brought up one specific entry.

"Lt. Roberta Luke." said Seven. "The one death which came of the event. she reported nausea and disorientation before her full symptoms occurred."

Corey brought up another file. "Commander Chakotay. Again, reports of nausea and disorientation."

Suddenly, Nevin's eyes lit up. "That's it!" he exclaimed. "The Srivani couldn't have done to the crew whatever they did in full interphase cloak. They would have just passed straight through. They would have had to bring themselves back into phase just enough to be able to interact with the crew and still remain invisible. The feelings of nausea may have been caused by separate matter attempting to occupy the same space for a brief time!"

"So it's possible that Lt. Morgim was right." said Corey. "It is possible that there is an interphased ship out there, but that it isn't entirely out of phase with us. So, when it passed through us, the sensors detected impacts on the hull and those crewmen in the path of the interphased parts got feelings of nausea."

"But what about the transmission?" asked Icheb.

"Well," said Nevin, "since they are slightly in phase with us, it is possible that they tried to hail us, but that when we opened the channel, we still couldn't see them. But maybe..."

He suddenly spun and began typing at a consol.

"What are you doing?" asked Corey.

"I have a theory." said Nevin. "Based on the assumption that the other ship is orbiting the planet opposite of our path, I'm comparing the time we got the transmission, the time we were 'hit,' and the amount of time it took the ship to pass through us, to extrapolate when we might cross paths with the ship again."

"How will that help us?" asked Icheb.

"Hold on a second." he tapped his commbadge. "Lt. Ro to Tactical."

"_Morgim here."_ came the CTO's gruff voice.

"Commander, I need you to go over the scans we took when we registered the impacts."

"_I've gone over them a dozen times. Nothing unusual registered on sensors."_

"I know, "said Nevin, "but this wouldn't necessarily register as unusual. I need you to see if Chroniton levels were elevated at all during that time."

Morgim sighed irritably, but said, _"Checking...Chroniton levels were elevated by .12 percent at the time."_

"Alright," said Nevin, "what about a few minutes later?"

"_Hold on...Approximately five minutes later, Chroniton levels were back to normal."_

Nevin grinned. "Thanks, Commander."

"What does that mean?" asked Corey.

"Well," said Nevin, "naturally occurring Chronitons can spike without warning, but it takes at least twenty minutes for them to decay. But artificial Chronitons, such as those produced by cloaking devices, fade very quickly. Interphase cloaks are no different. Now, when my sister and Commander LaForge were phased out, they got themselves noticed by passing through as many objects as they could, thus creating highly elevated Chroniton levels. Then Commander Data used the _Enterprise's_ anyon emitters to clear out the Chronitons and bring Laren and LaForge back into phase. So we could use the same method to reveal the ship the next time it comes our way which should be in about ten hours. We'd just have to modify the Deflector to emit high levels of anyons."

"Then there's the catch." said Corey. "We're only going to have one shot at this. We've only got fifteen hours left before our time is up.

"Then, to coin an old Earth term, we had better make it count." said Seven. "Good job, Lt. Ro. I will inform the Captain of this. You are dismissed until the time comes to make our attempt."

"I don't know about you but I'm starving." said Nevin to Icheb as they left Astrometrics. "Wanna go grab something to eat in the Mess Hall?"

"I am a little hungry." said Icheb. "Would you like to join us, Commander Aster?"

Corey glanced at Nevin. "Uh...No thanks. I..uh...I think I'm gonna get a little sleep. See you in ten hours."


	3. Ep1: The Eternal Part 3

_Disclaimer - I don't own Star Trek or any of its characters. I only own the characters I have made up._

_Please read and review. Constructive criticisms are welcome._

* * *

The _Archer_ now sat in stationary orbit over the planet. Outside, she appeared as serene and beautiful as ever. But inside crackled with tension. Crewmen reporting to their duty stations exchanged significant glances. Those with religious beliefs prayed to whatever deities they believed in. It was not unlike scenes which had played out across Starships all over the Quadrants in the most recent wars. Except the _Archer_ wasn't going into battle. She was hoping to out-maneuver a god.

* * *

"Ready, Lieutenant?" asked the Captain to Nevin who stood at the Engineering Station's Deflector Control.

Nevin nodded. "Yes sir. The ship should be in range in two minutes."

"We'll have to be within 100 meters for this to work, Captain." said Corey. "Which means we'll have to get out of the way pretty quickly once the ship is decloaked."

Ra'Thann nodded. "Ensign," he said to Icheb who was pulling his second duty aboard the _Archer_, "As soon as the operation is complete, throw us into full reverse."

"Aye, sir." Icheb responded crisply.

"One minute." warned Nevin.

"Red Alert." Ra'Thann said. Instantly, the Bridge was bathed in red light. "We don't know what kind of ship it's going to be, so have weapons ready."

"Aye, Captain." said Morgim.

"Fifteen seconds..." said Nevin. "Ten seconds...Charging deflector...Five...Four...Three...Two...One...Mark!"

Though nothing visible emanated from the deflector, instantly space before the _Archer_ wavered and a rusty orange, crab-like vessel appeared. As it did, collision warnings began blaring.

"Helm, full reverse!" shouted Ra'Thann, but Icheb was already acting and the other vessel soon slid by harmlessly.

Ra'Thann breathed a sigh of relief. "Report."

"The operation was a success." said Seven. "The other vessel is fully back in phase."

Ra'Thann studied the screen with narrowed eyes. "A Ferengi Marauder." he sneered. "Hail them."

"Channel open." said Ensign Jackson at Ops.

Ra'Thann nodded. "This is Captain Sorgan Ra'Thann of the Federation Starship _Archer._ Please explain your presence in this system."

For a moment, nothing happened, but then Morgim said, "Captain, they are powering their warp engines."

Ra'Thann smirked. "Mr. Morgim, if you would."

An instant later, ruby-red beams on light stabbed out from the _Archer_ and with a small explosion, the Ferengi vessel's engines flickered and went out.

"Now they're hailing _us_, Captain." said Jackson.

"On screen."

The image of the damaged vessel was replaced by the ugly visage of a sneering Ferengi. "This is Damon Bejjer! You had better be prepared to repay us for the damage to our vessel, Hew-man ship!" the uglier of the two shouted.

"You are in the Gamma Quadrant which is a restricted area." said S'Val. "You are in no position to be making demands."

The Ferengi waved a finger at the screen. "You're in league with that horrible child creature, aren't you?!" he demanded.

"We just saved your sorry lobes from that 'child creature!'" said Nevin.

"What exactly happened between you and the entity?" asked S'Val.

Bejjer sneered. "As if you don't know. It appeared on our ship, wanting to play a game. When we tried to leave the system, it did this to us. We've been unable to activate our engines since! Then, a week later, you showed up! We tried to hail you but you felt like torturing us and scaring us half to death by getting right in our path!"

"I assure you that is not what happened." said Ra'Thann. "We too were subjected to one of the Child Entity's games. We won and rescued you in the process."

"No more Federation tricks!" Bejjir shouted. "The authorities will hear of this!"

"Fine." said Ra'Thann. "You win. We will gladly tow you to the nearest Dominion facility where you can lodge an official complaint."

Bejjer's face went white. "D-Dominion?"

S'Val stepped forward. "You _are_ in Dominion space. Logically, they would be the authorities in this matter, should you wish to pursue it."

"Ops, send a subspace message to the nearest Dominion-"

"Wait!" screeched the Ferengi. "Let's make a deal!"

Ra'Thann smirked. "Alright. Here's the deal, Damon Bejjir. You will be beamed aboard our ship and taken back to Deep Space 9 and in return, we will not tell the Dominion of this."

The Ferengi appeared to contemplate the offer. "I suppose it's fair." he sniffed. "But I demand a stateroom!"

Ra'Thann's smile stretched from ear to ear. "Very well. Ops, beam our guests to our _finest_ quarters."

Ensign Jackson grinned. "Aye sir. Beaming them to the brig now."

"The brig! You-" But whatever Damon Bejjir was going to say was lost as he vanished in a column of blue and white light.

Ra'Thann returned to his seat, still smiling. "Mr. Morgim, put a tractor beam on that ship. Ensign Jackson, relay a message to DS9 through the Wormhole. Tell them we'll be returning a little sooner than expected."

"Sir," said Jackson, "Long range communications just went offline!"

"Impulse engines, Warp Engines and Thrusters are offline as well, Captain." reported Icheb.

"Hi!" sang a voice at the back of the bridge. Now sitting atop the Ops station was Aeternus.

"We won your little game." said Ra'Thann. "Why are we suddenly trapped here?"

"Because you won!" said Aeternus. "And this is your reward! Another puzzle!"

The Tactical Station suddenly began beeping. "Captain, reading massive graviton flux, 100 kilometers off our port bow! It's a Transwarp Conduit, captain!"

"On screen!" ordered Ra'Thann. The image changed to show a swirling green vortex. And out of the vortex was pouring at least twenty massive metallic Cubes.

"By the Prophets..." whispered Nevin.

The speakers on the Bridge suddenly clicked on without warning. "**WE ARE THE BORG. LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND SURRENDER YOUR SHIP. WE WILL ADD YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN. YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO SERVICE OURS. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE."**

"Figure this one out." said Aeternus with a smirk.

"Release us this instant." said S'Val.

"Captain, the Borg Cubes are powering weapons!" said Morgim.

"**_AETERNUS!"_** shouted a huge voice, echoing across the bridge.

There was a sudden flash on the screen and the Borg ships vanished. With another flash, a dark-haired man in the uniform of a Starfleet Captain appeared in the center of the bridge. Though his arms were crossed and his face was stern, his eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Q..." said Seven and Icheb together.

"Not now, kids. The adults are having a discussion." said the famous Q, constant antagonist of Jean-Luc Picard and Kathryn Janeway.

"You spoiled my game!" screeched Aeternus, its face contorted in fury. "You're not supposed to interfere with me!"

"By proviso of the Continuum, we agreed to ignore your harassing of the occasional ship. But you know as well as I the first law of omnipotent meddling; DON'T PROVOKE THE BORG! Now run along and leave the nice bipeds be."

Aeternus looked around the Bridge angrily, its gaze focusing on Nevin for an instant. "This isn't over!" it hissed before vanishing in a flash of green light.

Q sighed and shook his head. "I'm getting too old for this. No need to thank me, mortals. I didn't do it for your sakes."

"Thank you anyways." said Ra'Thann. "We owe you one."

Q wagged his finger. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"What exactly is Aeternus, Q?" asked Seven.

Q shrugged. "Another god to join the pantheon? Who knows. But it's somehow fallen to the Continuum to police it. But anyways, I must be going now. Places to grow. People to be."

"Q," said Icheb. "Say hello to your son for me."

"Right here!" said another voice, this one remarkably similar to Q's. "I'll visit you soon. But then again, soon is so relative. Ah screw it. Take care, Itchy!"

Icheb's face went red at the name 'Itchy,' and he turned quickly back to his station.

Q smirked and then snapped his fingers and vanished with a flash.

"Sir," reported Corey, "All systems are back online."

Ra'Thann nodded. "Very well. Mr. Jackson, relay the message to DS9. Set course for the Wormhole...Ensign Itchy."

Icheb's blush grew redder as the Bridge crew laughed.

* * *

"So, not exactly what I had in mind for our first mission." said Ra'Thann, relaxing in his Ready Room, a steaming cup of Raktajino clasped between his hands.

S'Val nodded and sipped her Vulcan Spice Tea. "Indeed. However, the crew performed adequately."

Ra'Thann glanced at her and smirked. "Adequately, huh?"

S'Val nodded. "Indeed."

Ra'Thann chuckled and raised his mug. "To the fine crew of the USS _Archer_, then. May they continue to perform adequately."

* * *

The Mess Hall was only sparsely populated, owing to the somewhat late hour. Alone at a table sat Nevin, a plate before him. He stared out the large viewport as the stars streaked past.

"Mind if I join you?" He looked up in surprise to see Corey.

"Uh...Hey, Corey." he said. "Not at all."

Corey sat and also stared out the viewport. An awkward silence fell for a few moments. "What's that you're eating?" Corey managed to say finally.

"Hm? Oh, this is Hasperat. It's okay, but not as good as my father's. He used to make the spiciest Hasperat on Bajor. It made your eyes water just to be near it."

Corey wrinkled his nose. "You actually liked it like that?"

Nevin smiled. "It's an acquired taste."

After another, few moments of silence, Nevin stood. "Well, I'm turning in for the night."

"I'm sorry." said Corey suddenly.

Nevin blinked. "Huh?"

Corey swallowed and took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry...for what I did to you. I was angry about Jorian leaving me and I was looking for someone to blame. I just wanted you to know that. But I'll understand if you can't forgive me."

Nevin smiled warmly. "Good night, Corey." With that, he turned and left.

Corey sat alone for a moment, staring at nothing. Then, on impulse, he grabbed Nevin's remaining Hasperat and took a bite.

"How is it?" asked Counselor Ajaro, seeming almost to have appeared out of nowhere.

He regarded the Hasperat for a moment and then shrugged. "I could learn to like it."


End file.
